On November 27th, North Americans will celebrate Thanksgiving, an annual holiday during which families and friends get together for a scrumptious feast and reflect on all the things they are grateful for. The ancient tradition dates all the way back to 1621, when the pilgrims celebrated their first harvest with a feast that lasted for three days. While most people are aware of that, very few know that the holiday was once celebrated several times a year or that Thanksgiving as we know it today, is possible thanks to 19th century writer, Sarah Josefa Hale.

Though best known for the nursery rhyme "Mary had a little lamb", it is her 20-year crusade that led President Abraham Lincoln to make a proclamation on October 3rd, 1863, declaring the last Thursday of November, as the "Day of Thanksgiving" for entire United States of America. So as you devour your turkey later this week, be sure to remember this unsung hero who made this fun holiday possible!

Happy Thanksgiving!